Transit case



Oct. 24, 1961 Filed July 7, 1960 R. C. WHITE TRANSIT CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E -Lgi-f:

INVENTOR. RICHARD c. wHlTE BY LUM;d

ATTORNEYS R. C. WHITE TRANSIT CASE Oct. 24, 1961 Filed July 7, 1960 INVENTOR. RICHARD C. WHITE BY LUM.

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ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,005,567 TRANSIT CASE Richard C. White, Snowden Hill Road, New Hartford, N.Y. Filed July 7, 1960, Ser. No. 41,451 Claims. (Cl. 220-9) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without paymentto me of any royalty thereon.

'Ihis invention relates to a transit case of the console type and, more particularly, to a new concept incorporating energy absorption techniques in a protective air inflated structure for transporting sensitive equipment where protection from shock and vibration during handling and protection from G load stress during air flight are essential, and where minimum Weight is of great importance. The shock absorbing quality is effected by double walls, the inner one rigid and the outer one tough and pliable, the space between being occupied by a plurality of inflated elements arranged in a unique manner.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the transit case showing the arrangement of the inllated tubes in phantom.

FIG. 2 is an end view similar to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the case with thc cover removed.

-FIG. 4 is a perspective inside view of the cover.

FIG. 5 is a perspective fragmentary cross-sectional view of a side wall.

FIG. 6 is a view which represents both top plan view of the cover, and a Abottom view of the bottom of the case, with the arrangement of the inflated tubes shown in phantom.

FIG. 7 is a needle valve for ination of the tubes.

PIG. 8 is a top perspective view of a modi-tied form of the invention, with the cover removed.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the transit case body and its cover are. indicated generally by the numerals 10 and 11 respectively. The walls of the case and cover comprise spaced inner and outer walls 12 and 14 respectively. The walls of the cover and body of the transit case are made up as follows: The inner or liner wall 12 is made of lightweight material and is rigid. Aluminum and reinforced iiberglass have both been used successfully, but the invention is not limited to this material. The outer wall is a tough, semirigid or semipliable skin. Materials successfully used are nylon, hypalon coated Dacron, or a neoprene impregnated.

A shoulder 16 and Iflange 18 on the outer semrigid skin of the body serve for spacing and attaching the inner and outer walls. An upstanding ange 20 is received in a slot 22 in the cover 11.

A plurality of inflated elements are inserted between the inner and outer walls in a unique manner. Inflated endless tubes or air cells 24 are laid or sandwiched in the space between the inner and outer walls in adjacent horizontal and parallel relationship. An air valve 26 is provided for each endless tube, and ination and re-ination is accomplished by means of a needle valve such as is -used for inating a football. Such a needle type valve is shown at 28 in FIG. 7.

-The inflated tubes or air cells 24 are self-sealing tubular sections, which may be made of rubber or any other suitable plastic material which is self-sealing, airtight and has a degree of pliability, and shock absorbing quality.

The vertical walls of both the body 10 and the cover 11 are fabricated as described above. The bottom of the body 10 and the top portion of the cover portion 11 are 3,005,567 Patented Oct.r24, --1961 fabricated in an identical manner.V This is illustrated in FIG. 6 which is a representation of eitherthe bottom of the body portion of the case 10,' or the top of the cover 11. The lowermost endless tube, or air cell of the transit case body, and uppermost in the cover, forms the periphery of l the bottom of the case andthe top of the cover respectively. The remaining portion of the space-of the bottom of the case is covered by ended straight tubes or air cells 3-2 which are of a length to correspond with the width of the transit case, and arelaid parallel-and adjacent so as to lill the area outlined by the endless tube 30. A valve 34 is provided in each tube 32 to provide for inflation and reination.

The upper area of the cover v11 is fabricated in an identical manner.

A handle 36 or any other expedient means for handling the case may be provided as desired. It will 'be seen even when actual damage to one portion of the case causes rupture to some of the tubes, the shock resisting quality is retained in the remaining undamaged portions of the case.

In FIG. 8 a modification of the invention is shown. The linvention is shown here as adaptable for delicate electronic instrumentation such as the tape recorder and the oscilloscope 42. These instruments may be used with or without removal from the case. As shown in FIG. 8, they are attached to the inner wall of the case by means of the straps 44.

The inner and outer wall construction of this modification of the device maybe as described in connection with FIG. 1 to 7, or both walls may be of aluminum or tiberglass. The endless tubes 30' are sandwiched between the inner and outer walls 12 and 14. These rubber or plastic tubes are flattened endless sections whose cross-sectional axis dimensions bear a relation to each other of approximately one and one-half to ten. Predetermined air pressures in these endless tube sections will determine the shock G load, or impact shock the case will withstand.

While the invention is shown and described in connection with one form yfor illustrative, rather than restrictive purposes, it is obvious that changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In a transit case, inner and outer spaced walls, providing four enclosing wall segments and a bottom segment, a cover for said transit case having vertical segments and a horizontal segment, inner and outer spaced 'walls on said cover forming four enclosing vertical walls and a horizontal top wall, endless self-sealing inflatable tubes positioned in the space between said walls and lying in horizontal and parallel relationship, inatable linear tubes lying in parallel relationship between the inner and outer walls of the bottom section of the lbody of said case, and the top portion of the cover of said case.

2. In a transit case, four enclosing vertical walls and a bottom segment, a cover for said case having four vertical segments and a top horizontal segment, all of said Walls and segments being formed of an inner rigid liner and an outer tough and semirigid skin, said inner rigid liner and said outer semrigid skin being positioned in spaced relationship, endless self-sealing inated air cells positioned in the space between said inner liner and said outer semiri'gid skin in horizontal and parallel relationship, providing cushioning for the vertical walls of said case, linear inflated air cells positioned horizontally and in parallel adjacent relationship between the walls comprising the upper portion of the cover of said case, linear intlated air cells positioned horizontally and in parallel adjacent relationship between the walls comprising the lower bottom portion of said case.

tom portion and a cover, said enclosing walls, said bottomy and said cover portion being formed of inner and outer spaced elements, said inner element4 being rigid, said outer elements being of pliable and tough materialL inflated; tubes, lying in adjacent and parallel relationship and: oecupying/the space. between said innerrigid elements andsaid outer pliablev elements. s

A. transit case comprising inner and outer spaeeriielements providing walls and cover for said case, said inner elements being of rigid material and said outer walls being of tough and pliable material, a plurality of individually iniated elements lying between said inner and outer spaced elements. v Y Y Y i 5, A transit case comprising inner and outer spaced elements providing walls and cover for said case, said inner elements being of rigid material and said outer walls being of tough and pliable material, a plurality of individually inated elementsv lying between said inner and outer spaced elements,` said inflated elements being endless tubes and of substantially attened: oval shape in cross section.

References Cited in the tile of this patent l UNITED STATES PATENTS `1,757,335. Y Robinson May 6,; i930 2,366,741 Manson et al. Ian. 9, 1945y 

